Four Spartan Rowers Receive All-Big Ten Honors
4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
April 30, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Four members of the Michigan State rowing team were honored by the Big Ten for their accomplishments this season. Senior Roz Bialczak led the group with First-Team All-Big Ten honors, while classmate Paula Thoms and junior Joanna Brown were named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Senior Jenna Peters was named Michigan State's Sportsmanship honoree.
Earning first-team accolades for the second time in her career, Bialczak joined Indiana's Betsy Hibbard, Iowa's Lori Rehel, Michigan's Emily Shea, Julia Dalzell and Karen Colwell, Minnesota's Jennifer Barnes and Cheryl Wick, Ohio State's Gabriele Albertaviciute, and Wisconsin's Jess Bartelt on the first-team.
A St. Louis, Mo., native, Bialczak is a four-year member of the varsity eight. Bialczak, who is currently stroke seat of the varsity boat, also stroked the eight to a 2005 Big Ten Championship, earning her first All-Big Ten First-Team selection.
Being honored for the first time, Thoms and Brown joined eight others on the second team. Indiana's Laura Stebbins, Iowa's Janelle Cross, Michigan's Julia Nelson and Adrienne Mecham, Minnesota's Erika Bartkute and Sally Olson, Ohio State's Jessica Shepherd, and Wisconsin's Susan Masterson.
Thoms, a native of St. Catharines, Ontario, has also been a consistent face in the varsity line-up over the past four seasons. Thoms was a member of the 2005 Big Ten Championship varsity boat and is earning the first Big Ten honor of her career.
A Tecumseh, Mich., native, Brown also earned the first honor of her career. A former walk-on, Brown is in her second year in the varsity boat, rowing seven seat of the varsity eight for the second-consecutive season.
Peters, a St. Thomas, Ontario, native was named the Michigan State sportsmanship honoree. Peters has also been recognized by the conference as a two-time Academic All-Big Ten member.
All-Conference First Team:
Betsy Hibbard, Indiana
Lori Rehel, Iowa
Emily Shea, Michigan
Julia Dalzell, Michigan
Karen Colwell, Michigan
Roz Bialczak, Michigan State
Jennifer Barnes, Minnesota
Cheryl Wick, Minnesota
Gabriele Albertaviciute, Ohio State
Jess Bartelt, Wisconsin
All-Conference Second Team:
Laura Stebbins, Indiana
Janelle Cross, Iowa
Julia Nelson, Michigan
Adrienne Mecham, Michigan
Paula Thoms, Michigan State
Joanna Brown, Michigan State
Erika Bartkute, Minnesota
Sally Olson, Minnesota
Jessica Shepherd, Ohio State
Susan Masterson, Wisconsin
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winners:
Emily Kasavana, Indiana
Melissa Wordelman, Iowa
Marin McCabe, Michigan
Jenna Peters, Michigan State
Cheryl Wick, Minnesota
Justine Mahler, Ohio State
Susas Masterson, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
